2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse positioned itself as a practical SUV alternative to the traditional minivan. Although devoid of minivan sliding doors, it maintained conventional rear doors. This Traverse was aimed at those whose preference for an SUV was dictated by financial advisors favoring practicality over bigger, more expensive, and less fuel-efficient vehicles.

Starting at $33,700 plus a $1,195 destination fee, the base Traverse LS with front-wheel drive would not break the bank. Toward the higher end, the High Country model came in at $53,400 plus destination fees. All-wheel drive was optional across the lineup, helpful for snowy conditions despite the 7.5-inch ground clearance not being suitable for serious off-roading.

The 2022 Traverse underwent a sleek restyle that included new headlights and taillights, a refreshed bumper, updated grille designs, redesigned wheels, and new color options. Special appearance packages like Redline, Midnight, and Sport Edition added blacked-out trim, enhancing its look. The RS trim tested sported liberal black-trim accents, dark grey 20-inch wheels, and a dual-pane sunroof, priced at $48,895 including destination.

Interior-wise, the Traverse RS featured black leather seats with red and grey stitching, black carpets, a black headliner, and gloss black trims—the metallic accents sprinkled within prevented the interior from feeling overly dark. Material quality was mixed, with many plastic surfaces, particularly on the upper door panels, being a downside on long trips. The design, however, was logical and user-friendly, especially the easy-to-use stereo controls and climate knobs.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota Sienna worked hard to shake off the minivan stigma by refining its styling. Its front-end resembled a Japanese bullet train, while most trims sported 18-inch wheels, though the FWD XSE and Platinum trims boasted 20-inch versions. Trims ranged from the basic LE to the upscale Platinum, with the new 25th Anniversary Special Edition slotting just below the Limited trim.

The XLE was anticipated to be the most popular among value-seeking buyers, adding standard LED fog lights, power-sliding doors, and a power liftgate. In the Platinum trim test model, the interior impressively featured high-quality brown leather upholstery and beautiful wood-grain accents on the center console. The Sienna was available with either seven or eight seats, the latter desirable for those needing maximum capacity. The eight-seater could accommodate three car seats across the middle row via LATCH anchors, an advantage for families.

Under the hood, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse was uncomplicated, offering a single engine choice: a 3.6-liter V6 producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. With a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, the Traverse offered various drive modes, including Tow/Haul, Snow, and Off-Road.

On the road, the Traverse's V6 engine provided adequate power for daily tasks, delivering an EPA-rated fuel economy of 20 mpg combined, with our test car achieving 20.9 mpg in AWD mode. The driving experience was mostly enjoyable with firm road feel and compliance over smaller road imperfections, although caution was needed over speed humps to avoid scraping the front air dam. Highway drives revealed more wind and road noise than desirable, and the driver’s side mirror distortion was a minor flaw. Nonetheless, the Active Return Assist steering and Duralife brakes aided in a more athletic and predictable handling experience compared to its rivals.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna took a different approach, forgoing traditional gasoline engines for a hybrid powertrain featuring a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine combined with electric motors, resulting in 245 net horsepower. Though this fell short compared to competitors, the hybrid system excelled in fuel efficiency.

While not the fastest minivan, the Sienna's nimble chassis and light steering made city driving and highway cruising effortless. The CVT sometimes struggled with the engine's rev range, but the minivan’s overall ease of handling was noteworthy. Drive modes including EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport each had specific uses but with limitations in the EV function, as the Sienna's gas engine frequently kicked in. Normal mode was the recommended setting for the best balance.

Interiors of both vehicles showcased thoughtful design and practicality. The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, unfortunately, lost the option for a second-row bench seat when choosing RS, Premier, or High Country trims, limiting capacity to seven. The RS trim featured power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control for an enjoyable ride. Southern California’s moderate climate also highlighted the effectiveness of the air conditioning system despite the all-black cabin.

The Smart Slide second-row seats facilitated easier access to the third row, although adults found the third-row travel less comfortable than the second-row captain’s chairs. The Traverse excelled in storage, offering ample hidden compartments, including a notable one behind the infotainment screen and a large one beneath the cargo floor. Cargo capacity measured at 23 cubic feet with all seats up, expanding to 57.8 cubic feet with the third-row folded, and maxing out at 98.2 cubic feet. These figures, though short of the Chevy Tahoe’s, were competitive within its segment.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna's minivan design maximized space efficiency with exceptional interior storage options. A cleverly designed cubby beneath the center console offered room for large bags, and an extended dash shelf provided convenient storage for phones, with higher trims incorporating wireless charging. The Sienna was replete with cupholders and storage bins.

Measuring over 200 inches in length on a 120.5-inch wheelbase, the Sienna offered remarkable cargo space. With 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a total of 101 cubic feet, the Sienna outpaced many three-row crossovers. However, its middle-row seats did not offer removability like the Honda Odyssey or fold into the floor like the Chrysler Pacifica. Despite this, the function and flexible sliding mechanism of the captain's chairs, along with extending ottomans, added to the comfort and practicality for rear passengers.

Technology onboard the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse included a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system on LS and LT Cloth models, with higher trims featuring an 8-inch high-definition display with an optional digital instrumentation panel. The systems supported Bluetooth for two devices, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, connected services like a WiFi hotspot, and the Teen Driver system.

The 8-inch system offered SiriusXM 360L, navigation, Alexa Built-in, and in-vehicle apps. A seven-speaker Bose sound system was standard from RS trim upwards, though unimpressive. Voice recognition technology was notably reliable and responsive, enhancing the user experience despite certain drawbacks like the mirror distortion. Safety tech included a surround-view camera and rear cross-traffic alert system.

Conversely, the 2023 Toyota Sienna came with an older infotainment interface spanning SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, standard wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and optional navigation. Seven USB ports were available. Physical buttons remained, appreciated for reducing distraction, but the system felt outdated and occasionally clunky. Despite requiring wired connections and lacking direct Android Auto access, a 9-inch touchscreen was standard and adequately sized, with a 12-speaker JBL audio system delivering good sound quality overall.

Safety features on the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse were comprehensive, with Chevy Safety Assist standard on all trims. This included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, and a following distance indicator. The Safety Package added rear parking assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Higher trims added adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and a rear pedestrian alert, with the Premier and High Country also offering a vibrating Safety Alert Seat. The IIHS had not completed its assessment, while the NHTSA had not published ratings at the review time.

In the 2023 Toyota Sienna, the standard safety suite impressed with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. With an NHTSA five-star rating and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS for 2022, the Sienna’s safety credentials were strong.

Other competitors also held high safety accolades, but Toyota abstained from adding features like Honda’s CabinTalk and Chrysler’s FamCam, focusing instead on core safety elements beneficial in a family vehicle.